Like other energy sources, biofuels have significant environmental liabilities. Boosters' rhetoric about "renewable energy" aside, topsoil -- from which biofuel feedstocks spring -- is not an easily renewable resource. It takes centuries under natural conditions to replace an inch of topsoil lost to erosion. Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute reckons that "36 percent of the world's cropland is now losing topsoil at a rate that is undermining its productivity."
(15 Dec 2006)The conclusion of Grist's well rounded series into the pros and cons of biofuels in the US is very critical of the industry and subsidies. See bottom of this page for final list of the Grist biofuels series. -AF

Growing corn for ethanol has limitsBen Lilliston, The Mountain Mail
In the last few years, we've seen ethanol turn the U.S. agriculture market on its head. Production for ethanol in the United States focuses exclusively on domestic use. And, at least for the time being, it has sharply raised the price of corn, and had a similar domino effect on soybean and wheat prices. The result has been fairer prices for farmers and fewer farm subsidies.

Just how big is the ethanol boom? Corn-based ethanol production in the United States doubled between 2001 and 2005, and is likely to double again the next few years.

...According to a new report by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, if only 25 percent of proposed ethanol plants are built, the Midwest could see its corn exports cut in half. If 100 percent are built, Midwest ethanol would use up all the corn that currently goes for exports.
(18 Dec 2006)

"We have a principle with regard to biofuel: it should neither impact the people's grain consumption, nor should it compete with grain crops for cultivated land," the state-run newspaper People's Daily quoted Yang Jian, director of the development planning department under the Agriculture Ministry, as saying.

It said Yang emphasized that his ministry opposes using edible grains as raw material for biofuel.
(18 Dec 2006)

Mergers create biofuel majorsReuters
Mergers in the booming palm oil sector are creating the biofuel industry's own 'Big Oil' companies, but vertical integration and economies of scale may not be enough to make exports profitable or to replace crude.
(18 Dec 2006)